Cinematic & Photorealistic Ai Image Prompts! - Complete Guide - Midjourney

Tao Prompts
17 Oct 202311:29

TLDRThis comprehensive guide delves into the art of creating cinematic and photorealistic images using AI, specifically within the Midjourney platform. The video emphasizes the importance of camera angles and shot types in setting the mood and perspective of a scene. Close-up shots are ideal for capturing strong emotions and realistic details, while low and high angle shots can convey power or vulnerability, respectively. Wide-angle shots are recommended for showcasing environments. The use of 'extreme' before camera angles can amplify their effects. Color grading is crucial for achieving a desired visual style, with options like cool, warm, black and white, and vintage tones. Lighting plays a significant role in enhancing details and shaping the mood, with techniques like golden hour, natural light, and silhouette lighting. The video also explores the impact of word order in prompts, suggesting that elements placed earlier in the prompt are given more importance by the AI. It concludes with tips on styling, genre, and camera types to add flair and realism to images, offering a wealth of knowledge for those looking to master the craft of AI image generation.

Takeaways

  • 📸 **Camera Angle and Shot Type**: Selecting the right camera angle and shot type can set the mood and perspective of an image, with close-ups for strong emotions and low/high angle shots for power dynamics.
  • 🌄 **Environment Showcasing**: Wide-angle shots are used to emphasize the surroundings and environment of the subject, which can be further enhanced with keywords like 'extreme'.
  • 🎨 **Color Grading**: Adjusting hues, saturation, brightness, and contrast can create a stylized look and define the visual experience, with options like cool tones for calmness or warm tones for coziness.
  • 🌅 **Lighting**: Lighting is crucial for enhancing details and shaping mood, with different times of day and weather conditions offering unique effects.
  • 🕒 **Golden Hour**: This is the best time for photography due to the soft, warm light that can give images a golden glow.
  • 🌈 **Color Effects**: Using neon or black light can create a cyberpunk effect, while white light can produce a smoky effect, adding a unique touch to images.
  • 📝 **Word Order in Prompts**: The order of words in a prompt matters as it can affect how the AI interprets and prioritizes elements of the image.
  • 🎭 **Styling and Genre**: Adding movie genres or famous directors' names can influence the style of the image, such as a futuristic Matrix vibe or a Wes Anderson aesthetic.
  • 😀 **Character Expressions**: Introducing emotions to characters can make them more relatable, with expressions ranging from happy to scared.
  • 📷 **Camera Type for Realism**: Choosing a specific camera type, like a Polaroid or disposable camera, can make images appear more realistic and less AI-generated.
  • 📹 **Aspect Ratio for Cinematic Feel**: Using wider aspect ratios like 16:9 can make images more cinematic, while different film stocks can add a unique look.
  • 🔍 **Stylization and RAW Mode**: Adjusting the style value can balance creativity and realism, and using RAW mode can help when the AI struggles to interpret complex prompts.

Q & A

  • What is the first aspect to consider when prompting for cinematic and realistic images in Midjourney?

    -The first aspect to consider is the camera angle and shot type, as it sets a general mood and perspective for the scene.

  • How does a close-up shot typically affect the mood of an image?

    -A close-up shot centers and zooms on the subject's face, commonly used to show strong emotions or to display extremely realistic details like facial wrinkles.

  • What kind of presence does a low angle shot generally portray?

    -A low angle shot generally portrays a stronger, intimidating presence, making the subject look taller and bigger.

  • How does the wide-angle shot affect the environment in an image?

    -The wide-angle shot pulls the camera back and emphasizes the surroundings of the subject, showcasing more of the environment.

  • What is the effect of using 'extreme' in front of camera angles in Midjourney?

    -Putting the keyword 'extreme' in front of camera angles exaggerates the effect, providing an enhanced perspective on the scene.

  • What is the role of color grading in generating hyper cinematic and realistic images?

    -Color grading adjusts and enhances the colors in an image to achieve a desired visual style, manipulating attributes like hue, saturation, brightness, and contrast to create a distinctive look and define the overall visual experience.

  • How does lighting impact the perception of subjects and scenes in film and photography?

    -Lighting is crucial as it dictates how subjects and scenes are perceived by the viewer, enhancing details and texture while also shaping the mood and atmosphere of a frame.

  • What is the best time of day to shoot photographs for a golden glowing effect, according to the script?

    -The best time of day to shoot photographs for a golden glowing effect is during the 'golden hour', which is considered the best time due to the soft, warm light.

  • What is the significance of word order in Midjourney prompts?

    -Word order in Midjourney prompts is significant because elements closer to the front of the prompt are considered more important by the AI model, which can affect the final image generated.

  • How can adding a director's name to a prompt influence the style of the generated image?

    -Adding a director's name can add an additional layer of style to the generated image, as it may incorporate the visual aesthetics and color palettes associated with that director's work.

  • What is the purpose of using camera types and film stock keywords in Midjourney prompts?

    -Using camera types and film stock keywords in prompts can help generate images with a more realistic and cinematic look, as opposed to a generic AI-generated appearance.

  • What aspect ratio is recommended for generating more cinematic images in Midjourney?

    -To generate more cinematic images, use a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is the default for a monitor or TV screen, or even a 2.5:1 aspect ratio for a more panoramic view.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Camera Angles and Shot Types for Cinematic Realism

The first paragraph emphasizes the importance of camera angles and shot types in creating cinematic and realistic images. It discusses how different angles set the mood and perspective, such as close-up shots for emotional emphasis, low-angle shots for a powerful presence, and high-angle shots for vulnerability. The paragraph also touches on wide-angle shots for environmental emphasis and suggests using extreme angles for exaggerated effects. It concludes by mentioning the combination of multiple camera shots and the significance of color grading and lighting in achieving a desired visual style.

05:01

🎨 Color Grading and Lighting Techniques

This paragraph delves into color grading, explaining it as a process of adjusting colors to achieve a specific visual style. It outlines various color grading styles, including cool tones for a serious vibe, warm tones for a cozy feel, black and white for a timeless look, and vintage tones for a retro style. The paragraph also highlights the role of lighting in film and photography, discussing how it affects perception and mood. It provides examples of lighting keywords like 'golden hour' and 'natural lighting' and suggests experimenting with different lighting styles. The importance of word order in crafting prompts for the AI is also discussed, with tips on how to structure prompts for the most effective results.

10:03

🖼️ Aspect Ratios and Stylization for Enhanced Imagery

The final paragraph focuses on the aspect ratio for more cinematic images, suggesting the use of wider ratios like 16:9 for a monitor or TV screen look. It talks about stylization and finding a balance between creativity and realism, recommending a medium style value for the best results. The paragraph also addresses the challenge of generating images that don't appear obviously AI-generated and suggests using different camera types and film stocks to achieve a more realistic look. It concludes with advice on using raw style for direct interpretations and offers a summary of the tips provided for achieving cinematic and realistic images.

Mindmap

Keywords

Camera Angle

Camera angle refers to the position from which a scene is viewed and captured in photography or film. It sets the general mood and perspective of the scene. In the video, it is discussed how different camera angles such as close-up, low angle, high angle, and wide-angle shots can be used to convey different emotions and emphasize various aspects of the subject or environment. For example, a low angle shot can make a subject appear more powerful, while a high angle shot can make them seem more vulnerable.

Color Grading

Color grading is the process of adjusting and enhancing the colors in an image to achieve a desired visual style. It involves manipulating attributes like hue, saturation, brightness, and contrast to create a distinctive look and define the overall visual experience. The video mentions various color grading styles such as cool tone grading, warm tones, black and white, and vintage tones, which can set different moods and atmospheres in the images. For instance, cool tones are used for a serious and calm vibe, while warm tones create a cozy and intimate feeling.

Lighting

Lighting is a crucial element in film and photography that dictates how subjects and scenes are perceived by the viewer. It enhances details and texture while also shaping the mood and atmosphere. The video discusses the impact of natural lighting at different times of the day, such as the 'golden hour', and how keywords like 'silhouette lighting' and 'volumetric lighting' can be used to create specific effects. The script also talks about the creative use of light through glass or windows to add depth and interest to an image.

Camera Type

The type of camera used can significantly affect the realism and aesthetic of an image. The video suggests experimenting with different camera types to achieve various looks, such as using a Polaroid camera for a relatable and down-to-earth feel or a disposable camera for a more vintage style. It also mentions the use of specific lens focal lengths like '35mm' or '55mm' and film stocks like 'Kodak Portra' to enhance the realism and cinematic quality of the generated images.

Aspect Ratio

Aspect ratio determines the proportional relationship between the width and height of an image. The video talks about using different aspect ratios, such as 16:9, which is standard for monitors and TVs, or even wider ratios like 5:2 for panoramic images. These ratios can help create a more cinematic look by stretching the image and providing a wider field of view.

Stylization

Stylization refers to the artistic or visual style applied to an image. The video discusses the importance of finding a balance between creativity and realism through stylization. It mentions that a medium style value of 250 can be effective for achieving this balance. Higher values increase stylization but may not add significantly more to the image, so it's recommended to experiment with different values to find the preferred level.

Emotions

Incorporating emotions into characters is important for creating more engaging and realistic images. The video points out that the default expressions in mid-journey images are limited, so it suggests using keywords to prompt a range of emotions such as 'happy', 'somber', 'tired', or 'scared' to add depth to the characters.

Movie Genres

The video talks about adding flair to images by prompting for different movie genres, which can immediately set a certain tone or style. Genres mentioned include horror, fantasy, sci-fi, indie, and western. It also suggests using the names of famous directors like Quentin Tarantino or Wes Anderson to add an additional layer of recognizable style to the images.

Vintage Colors

Vintage colors are muted, less saturated tones that give a retro and timeless look. The video mentions that these are the presenter's personal favorite for creating images recently. They are particularly effective in setting a nostalgic or classic mood, as demonstrated in the creation of AI short films with a futuristic Blade Runner vibe or a dark and serious Gladiator look.

Natural Lighting

Natural lighting refers to the use of sunlight or other natural light sources to illuminate a scene. The video discusses how different times of day and weather conditions can drastically change the lighting and, consequently, the mood of an image. It also talks about the 'golden hour' as an optimal time for photography due to the soft, warm light it provides.

Silhouette

A silhouette is a dark outline of a person or object that is backlit, usually with light coming from behind. The video mentions 'silhouette lighting' as a technique that can be used to create dramatic and stylish images. It involves placing the light source behind the subject, resulting in a strong visual impact where the subject's shape is emphasized against a lighter background.

Highlights

Camera angle and shot type are crucial for setting the mood and perspective in cinematic and realistic images.

Close-up shots are commonly used for portraits to show strong emotions and realistic details like facial wrinkles.

Low angle shots can make a subject appear stronger and more intimidating, while high angle shots make them look more vulnerable.

Wide-angle shots are used to emphasize the environment surrounding the subject.

Adding 'extreme' before camera angles can exaggerate their effects, providing a unique perspective.

Combining multiple camera shots can result in unique and dynamic images.

Color grading adjusts colors in an image to achieve a desired visual style and enhance the overall experience.

Different color grading styles, such as cool tones, warm tones, black and white, and vintage tones, can set specific moods.

Film aesthetics like desaturated colors and pastel colors can be used to convey different emotional tones.

Lighting is a critical component in film and photography, enhancing details, texture, and shaping the mood.

Golden hour is considered the best time of day for photography due to its soft, warm light.

Natural lighting, silhouette lighting, and light through glass can create various aesthetic effects.

Color effects like neon and black light can add a cyberpunk feel to images.

Word order in prompts significantly affects the importance given to each element by the AI model in mid-journey.

Common elements to include in prompts are subject matter, camera angle, color grading, lighting, genre, style, and camera type.

Adding movie genres, famous directors' names, and style keywords can add flair and a specific aesthetic to images.

Introducing emotion to characters can make AI-generated images appear more realistic and relatable.

Choosing the right camera type and lens can significantly impact the realism of the generated image.

Using specific camera film stock keywords can make images appear more cinematic.

Adjusting the aspect ratio can create more cinematic images, with 16:9 being a common choice for screens.

A medium style value of 250 is recommended for balancing creativity and realism in mid-journey images.

Using raw style can help the AI interpret prompts more directly for better results.